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Recent Development in : A Scientific Perspective

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Recent Development in Yoga: A Scientific Perspective

Deepak Kumar Semwal1*, Ashutosh Chauhan2, Satyendra Prasad Mishra3, Ruchi Badoni Semwal4 1Department of Phytochemistry, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Uttarakhand Ayurved University, Harrawala, Dehradun, India 2Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Uttarakhand Ayurved University, Harrawala, Dehradun, India 3Uttarakhand Ayurved University, Harrawala, Dehradun, India 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract In ancient Indian medicinal system, yoga practice is described as the link between the individual and the universe. Yoga and can play an important role in our life because these help in controlling the function of our mind i.e. ego, desire and intellect. Yoga is a well-known physical, mental and spiritual practice since the ancient time and still benefitting people globally. It helps in the expansion from narrow egoistic personality to the all-pervasive, endless and delightful state of reality. The practice includes physical postures, regulated breathing, meditation and , which is helpful in improving life-style and also in bringing down the prevalence of medical emergencies like psychological, neurological and metabolic disorders. Moreover, it helps people to remain happy and healthy even with many life stresses. The present review focuses on the current status of yoga and meditation in India and overseas in terms of research and development.

Keywords: Complimentary medicine, immune function, international yoga day, mental , yoga practice

*Author for Correspondence E-mail: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION industrial development in western countries Yoga is a form of relaxation and that which caused varying degree of social incorporates stretching, meditation and the conflicts, metal tension and stressful knowledge of the body’s full potential. It helps situations. As a result, increase in the in relieving tension and stress, and helps to incidence of psychosomatic diseases like increase the strength and vitality. In ancient hypertension, ischemic heart disease, Indian medicinal system, yoga is described as bronchial asthma, diabetes, peptic ulcer and the link between the individual and the ulcerative colitis [2]. Although, modern universe (Parmatma). It can play an important science has failed to prevent such kind of role in our life by controlling the function of ailments but yoga practice has potential to our mind i.e. ego, desire and intellect. Yoga is provide relief from and tension. a well-known physical, mental and spiritual practice since the ancient time and still Yoga as a way of life is more true to its benefitting people globally [1]. The growing ancient tenets. It constitutes , regulated popularity of yoga and its increasing breathing (), and awareness of yoga socialization attracted many workers for sutras (principles) that govern the mind. scientific enquiry in the science of yoga. It is Regular practice of yoga enhances awareness interesting to known that in the past few of mind and body, which is needed in the self- decades, the interest of yoga has increased management of diet and exercise plan in tremendously, particularly in western diabetes. According to Patanjali, yoga consists countries. In USA, yoga is gaining popularity of eight steps or limbs, which are all equally and has now become a multi-billion dollar important and are related as parts of a whole. business. This acceptance of yoga science is The purpose of these eight limbs is mainly due to growing urbanization and discriminative enlightenment or self-

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realization. But here the emphasis will be on 4. Pranayama: Expansion of breath and benefits. The eight steps or limbs of prana, regulation, control; yoga are as follows: 5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses, 1. Yama: Codes of restraint, abstinences, bringing inward; self-regulations; 6. Dharana: Concentration; 2. Niyama: Observances, practices, self- 7. Dhyana: Meditation and training; 8. Samadhi: Deep absorption, meditation in 3. : Meditation posture (Figure 1); its higher state, the state of perfected concentration.

Fig. 1: Various Popular Asanas (Postures) Useful for Physical and Mental Health. (a) ; (b) Padmasana; (c) ; (d) ; (e) ; (f) ; (g) ; (h) Paschimottasana; (i) Pawanmuktasana.

MATERIAL AND METHOD respiratory problems, mental stress, oxidative Most recent literature based on the effect of stress is well studied in the past few years. In yoga and meditation on human health, addition, certain breathing like particularly on psychological disorders (e.g., anuloma viloma, kapalbhati and bhramari of metal stress, anxiety, etc.), endocrine disorders pranayama, the main components of yoga (e.g., thyroidism, gigantism, etc.), metabolic were found to be the best remedies to tackle disorders (e.g., diabetes, hyperlipidemia, respiratory illness caused by air pollution and cancers, etc.) and neurological disorders (e.g., other naturally occurring respiratory diseases Alzheimer's disease, etc.) was thoroughly [3]. In addition to the role of yoga in reducing reviewed. All the literature was accessed from levels of oxidative stress and cellular aging in four most popular search engines i.e. PubMed, obese men, it causes reversal of markers of Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. aging, mainly oxidative stress, telomerase The papers from the standard scientific activity, and oxidative DNA damage. It does journals were only included, in which the not only delay aging and prolong a youthful researches on clinical trials were mainly healthy life but also prevents onset of many focused in the present review. lifestyle-based disorders [4]. Various clinical trials support the significant role of yoga and RESULTS meditation in reducing anxiety and improving Literature revealed that yoga is not only mood of HIV-patients [5], chronically ill- effective in improving life-style but effective patients [6], pregnant woman [7] and children in many health and mental disorders. Its effect living in orphanages [8]. Yoga practice is also against diabetes, hyperthyroidism, obesity, called to be a complimentary medicine for

JoAYUSH (2016) 14-20 © STM Journals 2016. All Rights Reserved Page 15 Journal of AYUSH: Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Volume 5, Issue 1 ISSN: 2278-2214(online), ISSN: 2321-6484(print) most of the serious ailments and various associated with some positive effects on studies, conducted worldwide support its psychological wellbeing for people with efficacy against various disorders. cancer. Apart from above cases including psychic disorders, the yoga is also helpful in Yoga as a Complimentary Medicine piles, obesity, pain and arthritis. Peppone Complementary medicine is a diverse set of et al. found that yoga reduces in treatments that has significantly increased musculoskeletal symptoms such as general among people over the past few decades. The pain, muscle aches and total physical approach of complementary medicine has been discomfort from pre- to post-intervention in applied to a variety of physical and mental breast cancer survivors on hormonal therapy disorders including post-traumatic stress and [16]. Moreover, yoga and meditation at least other trauma-related disorders with varying for 12 weeks can be considered a safe and levels of efficacy [9]. Such approaches are effective complementary intervention for highly effective in reducing mindfulness-based menopausal symptoms in breast cancer stress in cancer-related fatigue and related survivors [17]. symptoms [10]. Yoga is actually a behavioral practice to improve health which includes Yoga also improves health status, physical physical movement, breathing and meditation. functioning, role functioning, emotional It also promotes hematological and functioning, cognitive functioning and social biochemical alterations in human [11]. Yoga functioning in cancer survivors by improving has been the subject of research in the past few cancer-related symptoms, including fatigue, decades for therapeutic purposes for modern pain, insomnia, constipation, anxiety, and epidemic diseases like mental stress, obesity, [18, 19]. A 2 months study by Chu diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, et al. revealed that yoga practice for a short and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. period of time is although not very much Individual studies report beneficial effect of effective in improving variability but yoga in these conditions, indicating that it can significantly effective in reducing anxiety be used as nonpharmaceutical measure or [20]. Furthermore, short-term yoga therapy complement to drug therapy for treatment of leads to a remarkable improvement in the these conditions. Various clinical trials quality of life of the subjects and can indicate that yoga is a safe and effective contribute favorably in the management of intervention for managing hypertension that is psychosomatic disorders [21]. not associated with more adverse effects than other forms of physical activity. Moreover, The researchers from world over confirmed yoga practice can increase parasympathic the neuroprotective effects of yoga practices. activity and decrease sympathetic activity, Yoga contributes to protect the brain against perhaps by increasing GABA activity [12]. age-related decline and also tunes the brain Many reports revealed that yoga has ability to toward a parasympathetically driven mode and rejuvenate the main glands involved with positive states [22]. Few researches also diabetes, i.e. the that is involved with suggested that breathing, meditation and insulin release. Moreover, the stress glands are posture-based yoga increased overall brain believed to be involved where a high stress wave activity including gray matter, amygdala level can overload the with high sugar and frontal cortex activation [23]. Studies also as a response to stress [13]. Although, there is support that yoga and meditation practitioners no scientific evidence yet available to prove have stronger functional connectivity within curative role of yoga in the cancer. However, basal ganglia cortico-thalamic feedback loops few studies revealed that yoga could be helpful than non-practitioners [24]. Such practices are in sleep disturbance and anxiety in cancer also safe and effective for the management of patients. Smith and Pukall reported that yoga symptoms of multiple sclerosis e.g., fatigue, can reduce anxiety, depression, fatigue and imbalance, cognitive impairment, bladder and stress together with improvement in the bowel dysfunction, visual and speech quality of sleep, mood and spiritual wellbeing impairments, depression, sensory disturbance, in some cancer patients [14, 15]. It is and mobility impairment [25].

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Current Status of Yoga Practice and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in Research his speech during UN general assembly that In view of role of yoga in wellness of human, yoga is not just about fitness or exercise, it is the UN general assembly on 11 December about changing one's lifestyle, and emphasized 2014 declared 21 June as the International to plugging for ancient practice that was yoga day which was first celebrated in the year introduced to the west by Swami 2015 by 192 countries, the biggest ever event. Vivekananda. Recently, he insisted that yoga Usually, yoga is used in the form of asana, is our ancient medical therapy and it should be pranayama or short periods of meditation for mandatory in the syllabus of all therapeutic purposes. Moreover, general schools/colleges. In this connection, the perception about yoga is also the same, which University Grants Commission (UGC) has is not correct. Yoga in fact means union of planned to induct yoga into the curriculum of individual consciousness with the supreme public-funded universities, hoping to cash in consciousness. It involves eight rungs or limbs on Prime Minister’s push for the ancient of yoga, which include yama, niyama, asana, discipline and its growing popularity across pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and the world. As per Brajesh Kumar’s report [29], samadhi. Intense practice of these leads to the apex regulatory body for higher education self-realization, which is the primary goal of has prepared a proposal to introduce BSc and yoga. An analytical look at the rungs and the MSc in Yoga in all 40 central universities goal of yoga shows that it is a holistic way of from the 2016–17 academic session and, later, life leading to a state of complete physical, in state and deemed universities. It is social, mental, and spiritual well-being and imperative that Indian universities engage harmony with nature. A recent report based on themselves in strengthening scientific the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress evidence of the positive effects of yoga and and anxiety in the college students revealed meditation on human health. In order to pursue that it effectively decreases anxiety and stress, education and practice in yoga, it is proposed and increases mindfulness whereas its effect to establish centers and departments of yoga in on physiological stress was found inconsistent the public-funded universities. [26]. This is in contrast to purely economic and material developmental goal of modern International Status civilization, which has brought social unrest Not only in India but scientists from world and ecological devastation [27]. over getting close to proving what yogis have held to be true for centuries and how yoga and Yoga is being tried for its benefit not only in meditation can ward off stress and disease? India where it is traditionally familiar but in Disease prevention and back pain relief are the US, UK and Australia as well. In view of the most important health reasons for yoga benefits it has shown in short-term studies, practice in America [30]. Dr. Denninger, a long-term studies with support for yoga psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, practice and follow-up are required and this studied the role of yoga and meditation on requires a collective effort on the part of the genes and brain activity in the chronically researcher, government, society, and the stressed [31]. This study found that yoga funding agency [28]. practice (mind-body techniques) can switch on and off some genes linked to stress and National Status immune function. Earlier studies based on the A number of research practices are under mental health benefits of yoga and meditation progress in India to discover the role of yoga have tended to rely on blunt tools mainly in physical and mental health. Ministry of participant questionnaires, heart rate and blood Ayush, Government of India is supporting pressure monitoring. However, the use of research on various fields of yoga science. advanced neuro-imaging and genomics Recently, department of science and technology by Denninger et al. allowed technology (DST) also launched a scheme scientists to measure physiological changes in called science and technology of yoga and greater detail. The study further revealed that meditation (SATYAM) to promote the yoga yoga has true biological effects, not just in the research. brain but throughout the body. The

JoAYUSH (2016) 14-20 © STM Journals 2016. All Rights Reserved Page 17 Journal of AYUSH: Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Volume 5, Issue 1 ISSN: 2278-2214(online), ISSN: 2321-6484(print) pharmaceutical medicines are still essential to effective against hypertension, obesity, prevent the onset of depression through stress anxiety, insomnia and aging [36]. Although reduction. However, the yoga and meditation various researches confirmed a complimentary are useful additions and act as a role of yoga in many life threatening diseases complimentary medicine in psychiatric including diabetes and cancer, but its efficacy conditions. It has been found that Kundalini, a as an adjunct to routine treatment is still a form of yoga, incorporates meditation, great challenge due to lack of the underlying breathing exercises and the singing of mantras molecular mechanisms. Hence, the evidence- in addition to postures. Due to strong based researches are warranted to evaluate the meditation component, kundalini yoga practice physiological, biochemical and hematological can enhance the expression of genes involved effects of various yogic practices to establish in energy metabolism and insulin secretion its scientific basis so that such practices may and reduce expression of genes link to be applied to tackle certain problems on inflammatory response and stress. Yoga and mental and physical health. meditation were also found to enhance mindfulness and mystical experiences together ACKNOWLEDGMENTS with kundalini effects [32]. Kundalini yoga Uttarakhand Ayurved University was found to be complimentary for cognitive administration is acknowledged for providing behavioural therapy which significantly necessary facilities to write up this article. A improved the state and trait anxiety, part of this paper was presented as a keynote depression, panic, sleep and quality of life by Prof. S. P. Mishra, during International [33]. conference on yoga science and education at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, on 15–17 In addition to Harvard, the scientists from the January 2016. University of California at Los Angeles also started examining the biology behind yoga. REFERENCES Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn found 1. Semwal DK, Mishra SP, Chauhan A, et al. that yoga and meditation at least for 12 min Adverse Health Effects of Tobacco and per day for eight weeks can improve stress- Role of Ayurveda in their Reduction. induced aging by increasing telomerase Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015; 15: activity up to 43%. Moreover, scientists from 139–146p. Boston University School of Medicine 2. Mishra SP. Yoga and Ayurveda. New reported that yoga works by regulating the Delhi: Chaukhamba Orientalia; 2004; nervous system and increasing vagal tone, the 187p. body’s ability to successfully respond to stress. 3. Behera M, Priyadarsini N, Mohapatra D, Bilderbeck et al. found that yoga and et al. Alleviating Respiratory Diseases by meditation practices were helpful in Alternative Method–Yoga. Int J Pharm decreasing perceived stress and improving Sci Rev Res. 2015; 32: 250–253p. Art. No. mood in prison populations in UK [34]. 41. However, Hernández et al. found that a group 4. Kumar SB, Yadav R, Yadav RK, et al. of meditators experienced relatively reduced Telomerase Activity and Cellular Aging brain activation concomitant with the Might be Positively Modified by a Yoga- deepening of the state of mental silence over Based Lifestyle Intervention. J Altern right inferior frontal cortex, probably Complement Med. 2015; 21: 370–372p. reflecting an effortless process of attentional 5. Agarwal RP, Kumar A, Lewis JE. A Pilot contemplation associated with this state [35]. Feasibility and Acceptability Study of Yoga/Meditation on the Quality of Life CONCLUSIONS and Markers of Stress in Persons Living The public interest towards yoga and with HIV Who also Use Crack Cocaine. J meditation is increasing day by day due to Altern Complement Med. 2015; 21: 152– their beneficial effects in mental and physical 158p. health. Since the ancient time, yoga has been used as a holistic relaxation practice which is

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